


A New Life

by MagicMagpie



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Also Goro has feelings, Also Goro's just lowkey Tired and Done, And Ryuji's just a sunshine boy, But I got this idea too late to finish it before today, But I'm going to try and write a chapter for each of the Thieves!, Gen, Goro and Ryuji just hang out, He brightens Goro's day, He went through hell and back and he gives no fucks anymore, Honestly I love RyuGoro friendship, I literally don't know how to tag this, P5R Spoilers, there's only one chapter so far
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:01:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25317211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicMagpie/pseuds/MagicMagpie
Summary: Goro had spent the majority of his life alone. He'd lived alone, and he had accepted that he'd die alone.Ofcoursethe Phantom Thieves would rectify that.Day Five for Soft Goro Week 2020!
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 3
Kudos: 40





	A New Life

Goro’s phone pinged whilst he was stacking shelves at his menial convenience store job. Now, he wasn’t _supposed_ to go on his phone while on duty, but then again he had very few fucks to give these days. 

**_Sakamoto_** ** _:_** ** _h_** ** _ey man_** ** _so_** ** _yno_** **_that new movie that came out_**

**_Sakamoto_** ** _:_** ** _the one_** ** _i_** **_put on the_** ** _gc_**

**_Sakamoto_** ** _:_** ** _dya_** **_wanna_** ** _go see it w me_**

This was a surprise. He had a decent enough relationship with Sakamoto, but not to the extent that they’d hang out without a third party. It wasn’t an _unwelcome_ surprise, though. Sakamoto wasn’t insufferable. 

**_Goro:_ ** **_Sure,_ ** **_that would be fun._ **

**_Sakamoto:_ ** **_thanks dude!!_ **

**_Sakamoto:_ ** **_u free tonight?_ ** **_Theres_ ** **_a showing at 7:20_ ** **_at_ ** **_shinjukus_ ** **_cinema_ **

**_Goro:_ ** **_My shift ends at five and I have no other plans so yes, 7:20PM is fine._ **

**_Sakamoto: cool!! Meet_ ** **_ya_ ** **_there at_ ** **_7? Popcorn lines are_ ** **_longgggggggg_ **

**_Goro: Seven_ ** **_is good._ **

So Goro stood outside Shinjuku’s cinema at seven exactly, the cold wind biting his face as he waited for Sakamoto. Irritation started to creep in as the minutes passed, but just as he was about to send him an angry text Sakamoto came running up, thick bomber jacket and all. 

“So-sorry,” he said, panting slightly, “the trains were delayed then I was helping this old lady with directions and stuff.” 

Goro shrugged. “I was about to rip you a new one for making me freeze but I think helping old ladies absolves you of your crimes.” 

Sakamoto grinned. “Now _that’s_ what I’m talking about! Come on, let’s go in so we can get popcorn _and_ good seats – hey, what popcorn d’ya like?” 

Goro hummed as they entered the cinema and lined up in the ticket queue. “I’m not sure - I haven’t actually been to the cinema since I was six.” 

“You _what_?!” Ryuji exclaimed, wide-eyed and mouth open. 

“Never had the chance to,” he said, immediately regretting bringing it up. He didn’t need to think about his past right now. “I think I had sweet popcorn back then though, so I think I’ll try that again.” 

“Nah man,” Ryuji said, “you haven’t been to the cinema in _forever_ . We’re gonna get sweet popcorn, salty popcorn, toffee popcorn, nachos, soda, slushies , _everything_!” 

“That costs far too much!” Goro hissed. He was a cashier now, the pay was _abysmal_. 

“Chill man, we’ll split it!” He clapped Goro’s back jovially. “This cinema’s pretty cheap anyway – why d’ya think I chose it? You’re gettin’ a feast whether you like it or not, and then you can decide what you like for next time!” 

They bought their tickets, lined up for the snacks, and Goro almost _died_ when they emerged from the counter juggling about ten million snacks in each of their arms. Goro caught Ryuji’s eye. 

“You are _insufferable_.” 

That didn’t stop him from grinning like an idiot, though. 

\- 

They dumped their mound of trash in the bin as they exited the screening hall, and Ryuji gave a contented stretch. 

“That was so _good_! ” He said. “Hey, don’t you think I’m _totally_ like Kazuo?” 

“Loud, brazen, with an inability to shut up? Definitely,” he replied, sucking up the remaining dregs of his half-and-half slushie. Sakamoto was apparently the type to talk during a movie. Not at the volume needed to be a public nuisance, but enough to be a nuisance to Goro. He didn’t mind _that_ much, though. Honestly, he was just glad to be spending time with someone , and _yes_ Sakamoto may talk at the cinema and _yes_ Sakamoto may sprawl on his chair but Sakamoto _also_ made sure he was having a good time. 

“Hey, you forgot ‘saves the day’!” Ryuji huffed, affronted. “You are _totally_ like that Hakaku guy.” 

“How so?” 

“Oh come on, that guy _literally_ called the rest of them idiots, he’s totally like you!” 

“He was the _only_ character who wasn’t a fool, he was _completely_ justified in calling them all idiots!” Goro argued, then laughed. “Maybe that’s why he was my favourite.” 

“Of _course_ he was.” 

They made their way to the lobby carrying several half-eaten snacks and dumped them all onto the nearest table. Sakamoto collapsed onto the sofa and Goro sat on the one opposite. 

“So, which did ya like?” Sakamoto asked, gesturing to the pile in front of them. “Salty popcorn and nachos are my favourites – oh, and soda!” 

Goro took another sip of his slushie. “Obviously I’m fond of the half-and-half slushie-“ 

“Oh, good choice!” 

“But as for the food... I think sweet popcorn is still my favourite.” 

“You _caned_ that stuff, we haven’t even got any left over!” 

Goro shrugged. “Be glad, we’ve got enough leftovers as it is.” 

“You’ve got a point,” Sakamoto said, casting an annoyed glare to the people around them. Their pile was attracting quite a lot of attention from passers-by, judgemental stares sometimes followed by judgemental whispers. Goro glanced at Sakamoto; for someone so brazen he seemed awfully bothered by these strangers. Fists clenched, jaw set, he looked two seconds away from having an outburst. 

A couple walked by and they weren’t very good at keeping their judgemental opinions quiet, seeing as how Goro heard one of them whisper, “ _Wow_ , do their parents not feed them?’. 

“Hey,” Goro said loudly, standing up and marching up to them. They turned around, looking like a pair of deer in the headlights. 

“Keep your shit to yourselves, no one else wants to hear you talk _shit_ about strangers,” he spat. 

“ _Excuse_ me?” The man said, lip curling. 

“You heard me,” Goro sneered. “If you want to make stupid comments like _that_ then say it to my face.” 

The man looked like he wanted to fight (which would have been _terrible_ because Goro was on probation and getting into fights was a _bad idea_ ), but thankfully his partner wasn’t on board with it. 

“Look, we’re sorry, okay? It won’t happen again,” she apologised, looking less sorry and more like she just wanted it to be over. Goro didn’t mind that. 

“It better not,” he said, then went back to his sofa to see Sakamoto looking at him all agog, like he had just sprouted a new head or something. 

“ _Dude_ ,” he said, sounding slightly in awe, “what was _that_?! 

“A lesson in social etiquette.” 

“ _Yeah_ , but _why_?!” 

Goro shrugged, busying himself with the blueberry slushie (his half-and-half had run out). How was he supposed to say he did it because Sakamoto hadn’t? How was he supposed to tell _Sakamoto_ that he’d berated someone because _Sakamoto_ had been bothered by their comments? If it was him on his own he wouldn’t have bothered, but they’d been insulting _Sakamoto_ too – the same Sakamoto who had included him in the Phantom Thieves back in the fake reality, who had invited him out to the cinema and shared far too many snacks with him. 

Who had treated him like a _friend_. 

“They pissed me off,” he said finally. “You understand.” 

Sakamoto bounced his leg, still looking vaguely baffled. 

“Yeah, but _still_ . That’s more _my_ thing to do.” 

Goro gave a wry smile. “I’m usurping your position. Soon enough Goro Akechi will replace Ryuji Sakamoto as the brash loudmouth. Any final words before I delete your existence?” 

Sakamoto laughed – a loud, happy sound that used to grate on his ears, but now he found himself quite liking it. 

“You _really_ are like that Hakaku dude!” He said, then his expression turned softer. “Thanks though. I’ve been trying to keep myself more under control, and... it’s hard, but I’m getting there, aren’t I?” 

“You didn’t yell at those bastards, or any other of these assholes. If _that’s_ not self-control then I don’t know what is.” 

“Thanks, man,” Sakamoto said with a smile as bright as his hair. “Oh, and d’ya wanna stay here and finish all these for dinner? We can’t just let all this go to waste!” 

“I’m fine with that,” Goro said, and without further ado they worked at the pile even though their stomachs were so very close to bursting. It was stupid and silly and to the public they were very obviously two stupid teenagers, but as he chatted with Sakamoto about the movie after chugging a warm, diluted cola, he found it didn’t matter to him anymore. 

\- 

Whilst he was walking back to the apartment his phone buzzed, repeatedly. 

**_Sakamoto: hey man_ **

**_Sakamoto: Now_ ** **_youve_ ** **_experienced the cinema_ **

**_Sakamoto: u_ ** **_wanna_ ** **_go again w me sometime?_** ** _???_ **

**_Goro: Why not? I’ll be on the lookout for any_ ** **_good ones._ **

**_Sakamoto:_ ** **_nICE_ ** **_!!!!!_ **

**_Sakamoto: oh also_ **

**_Sakamoto:_ ** **_u can call me_ ** **_ryuji_ **

**_Sakamoto:_ ** **_cos were friends yeah?_ **

**_Sakamoto:_ ** **_i_ ** **_mean_ ** **_i_ ** **_consider you a friend_ **

**_Sakamoto:_** ** _i_** **_dont_** ** _want u_** ** _thinkin_** **_ur_** ** _not my friend_**

**_Sakamoto: cos you are_ ** **_!!!!_ **

**_Goro:_ ** **_I appreciate it._ ** **_And_** ** _, for what it’s worth, you can call me Goro._ **

**_Sakamoto: :DDD_ ** **_hey_ ** **_goro_** ** _!!!_ **

**_Sakamoto:_ ** **_whats_ ** **_up_ ** **_goro_** ** _!!!!_ **

**_Sakamoto:_ ** **_suck a dick_ ** **_goro_** ** _!!!!_ **

**_Goro:_ ** **_Are you done?_ **

**_Sakamoto:_** ** _goro_** **_i_** ** _will n e v e r be done_**

Despite himself, Goro couldn’t help but smile as he changed the contact name from ‘Sakamoto’ to ‘Ryuji’. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! :D So basically I headcanon that Ryuji tries to make fewer outbursts during his Third Year - of course he's still full of anger at any injustices but, like, with more minor occurrences such as this he'd probably try and keep it under check. I think he'd try and apply to get track scholarships and go to more sports-oriented unis and he goes to a different high school during Third Year where he doesn't really have a 'delinquent' reputation and so I think he would just... try to express his anger in more healthy ways as opposed to confronting every single person who ticks him off. Not that I don't root for Ryuji every single time he does so, because I absolutely do (I stan a guy who has the guts to confront Shido's guys like that).  
> Goro, on the other hand, I headcanon as being tired and not giving a damn anymore. I like the thought of him speaking up for others in situations like these, because I do think Goro, when free to do so, would absolutely stand up for his friends. He's also very much a 'tit-for-tat' kind of guy imo, and 'being Goro's friend' is, er, a tat that he feels like he has to tit? That is sO poorly worded, but you get what I mean. Goro just doesn't realise that returning a 'being your friend' favour by 'being their friend in return' is literally just a friendship.
> 
> Anyway I'm going to try and write a chapter for each of the Thieves! I'm currently working on Ann, and I have ideas for Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, and Haru. I'm not too sure what to do for Sumire, Akira, and Morgana tho,,,, heads up Akira's chapter wILL be Shuake but I'm not going to tag the pairing until I get to that point, because I might not even ever get there because I'm a hUGE procrastinator. Also I won't tag other characters until I write their chapters!


End file.
